BMC tells contractor to finish Versova sewage plant by March 31, 2027 or face penal action
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar has ordered more workers and three shifts at the Versova plant, warning of strict penalties if the deadline is missed.
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A sewage treatment plant is being built at Versova to improve the quality of water along Mumbai's coast and protect the environment. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has directed that work on the plant be completed by March 31, 2027.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar has clearly warned that strict penal action will be taken against the contractor concerned if the work is not completed within the stipulated time. To speed up work, he has also ordered that manpower be increased and that work be carried out in three shifts.
Bangar recently visited the project site, where he inspected the civil, mechanical and electrical engineering works in person. About 80 per cent of the physical work on the project has been completed. The target is to commission the liquid treatment system needed for secondary treatment of sewage by December 31, 2026. The entire project is then expected to be completed by March 31, 2027.
The plant is coming up in the saltpan area at Versova and has a capacity of about 180 million litres a day. Modern Sequential Batch Reactor technology is being used to remove harmful pollutants from the wastewater. The structural works of the project have been completed. During the inspection, work on the treatment tanks, inlet-outlet arrangements, pump house, sludge unit, pipelines, aeration blowers and screening systems was also reviewed.
At present about 340 workers are deployed at the site every day. Bangar directed that the number be raised to 500 by October 31. He also made it clear that the additional manpower should be retained until the project is completed and that work should continue round the clock in three shifts.
He also gave a stern warning that no compromise on quality, safety and efficiency would be tolerated while the work is being speeded up. Senior civic officials, including Chief Engineer (Mumbai Sewerage Project) Rajendra Parab, were present during the inspection.
The project will benefit residents of Versova, Andheri East and West, Juhu and Vile Parle. Since the treated water will be released into the sea, the quality of coastal water in the western suburbs, including Versova, will improve significantly.
